Declan Rice was sent off in the 49th minute during Arsenal's Premier League clash against Brighton on Saturday massively impacting the match's outcome.
The Gunners were leading 1-0 at the time, thanks to Kai Havertz’s first-half strike, but the game ended in a 1-1 draw after Joao Pedro equalized shortly following Rice's dismissal.
The incident occurred when Rice, already on a yellow card, nudged the ball away as Brighton's Joel Veltman prepared to take a quick free-kick.
Referee Chris Kavanagh issued a second yellow card to Rice for "delaying the restart," a decision that left Arsenal down to ten men for nearly the entire second half. The Premier League Match Centre later clarified, "The referee issued a second yellow card to Declan Rice for delaying the restart."
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and forward Bukayo Saka criticized the officiating inconsistencies, pointing out that similar actions by Brighton players went unpunished.
Arteta expressed his frustration, stating, "I was amazed because of how inconsistent decisions can be." Saka echoed this sentiment, noting, "Joao Pedro booted the ball halfway across the pitch in the first half and got nothing for it, and Dec got the slightest touch and was sent off."
The controversy surrounding the red card was further fueled by the fact that Veltman's quick free-kick attempt would not have been legal as the ball was still moving.
Despite this, Rice's slight touch was deemed sufficient to warrant a second booking under the letter of the law, which mandates a yellow card for "kicking or carrying the ball away" from a designated free-kick.
Former England striker Peter Crouch, working as a pundit for TNT Sport, commented on the situation, saying, "Veltman’s quite simply played the referee. There’s absolutely no way he’s trying to play a 60-yard pass to nobody. He’s literally trying to get Declan Rice into trouble, he knows he’s on a yellow card and that’s been the difference in the game."
Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler supported the referee's decision, stating, "Clear red card. He shoots the ball away. If Arsenal think otherwise, there are now two opinions."
As a result of the red card, Rice will miss the upcoming north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur on September 15, leaving Arsenal without their midfield anchor for a crucial match.
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